Brynwood Partners VI L.P. has sold Balance Bar Company to NBTY, Inc., a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group. The transaction value was about $78 million, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Balance Bar was founded in 1992 and acquired by Brynwood VI from Kraft Foods, Inc. in 2009. The company, which is headquartered in Valhalla, NY, is one of the leading brands in the high growth $1 billion nutrition/energy bar. The new acquisition joins NBTY's existing bar brands MET-Rx and Pure Protein, and the company said it plans to expand the brand's flavor variety and retail reach.

“We are delighted to announce the divestiture of Balance Bar, which was our first investment in our most recent fund, Brynwood VI,” said Hendrik J. Hartong III, chairman, Balance Bar and senior managing partner, Brynwood Partners. “We are grateful to all of the Balance Bar employees for their hard work anddedication to the business. We wish NBTY continued success with this great brand.”

“On behalf of Brynwood Partners, I would like to thank the Carlyle and NBTY teams for their efforts in completing this transaction. We have enjoyed the relationship,” said Ian B. MacTaggart, managing partner, Brynwood Partners.

Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc. served as the investment banking advisor to Balance Bar.